Iran: Ayatollah Khamenei’s ban on nuclear weapons binding

TEHRAN (AP) — Iran sought Tuesday to spell out in its clearest terms yet that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, highlighting a religious decree issued by Supreme Leader  Ali Khamenei that bans nuclear weapons.

The latest reference to Ayatollah Khamenei’s declaration is seen as a bid to close the door on debates that Iran may have carried out atomic bomb trigger tests as inspectors from the U.N. atomic watchdog were on their way to Tehran for a new round of discussions.

Iran authorities often have cited Ayatollah Khamenei’s religious edict, made more than seven years ago, in attempts to counter Western suspicion that Iran could be moving toward nuclear arms. But Iranian leaders now appear increasingly desperate to reopen talks with world powers as a possible way to ease sanctions.

Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast touched on a cultural rift between the Islamic Republic and the West, saying the United States and its allies don’t understand the significance of the edict.

“There is nothing higher than the exalted supreme leader’s fatwa to define the framework for our activities in the nuclear field,” he told a press conference.

Mr. Mehmanparast could not be more definitive in dispelling suspicions that Iran may ultimately develop a nuclear weapon.

“We are the first country to call for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons,” he said. When the highest jurist and authority in the country’s leadership issues a fatwa, this will be binding for all of us to follow. So, this fatwa will be our top agenda.”

Mr. Mehmanparast said Westerners “don’t have an accurate understanding of Islamic beliefs and fatwas issued by great scholars,” suggesting that the U.S. and its allies must take Ayatollah Khamenei’s edit seriously.

To highlight its seriousness, he said Iran is willing to “register the fatwa as an international document.”

Although Iran views Ayatollah Khamenei’s 2005 fatwa as a binding declaration, the West and its allies repeatedly have accused Iran of using any tactic to prolong the standoff and possibly advance its nuclear capabilities.

The perception gap also strikes at the role of the supreme leader himself. The most ardent followers consider the post as divinely imbued and answerable only to God. For Iran’s opponents, Ayatollah Khamenei is often seen as guiding a ruling system seeking to outwit the West and threaten Israel.

They want Iran to stop enriching uranium to a level that could be turned relatively quickly into the fissile core of nuclear arms. Iran denies such aspirations, insisting it is enriching only to make reactor fuel and to make isotopes for medical purposes.

Senior U.N. investigators trying for more than a year to restart a probe into Iran’s alleged work on nuclear arms chose their words carefully Tuesday about hopes for success as they left for Tehran on a trip that sets the stage for separate talks between six world powers and the Islamic Republic.

Team leader Herman Nackaerts said the International Atomic Energy Agency hopes to “finalize the structured approach” that would outline what the agency can and cannot do in its investigation.

Yukiya Amano, the IAEA chief, has expressed doubt that Tuesday’s trip would result in a deal, but Iran said it’s optimistic.

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